3.24.2010

Doctor's Roundtable for Mom

This morning we had our first "discharge planning" meeting with all of mom's doctors & therapists. She said it felt like being called into the principals office- and it did!!! She told us that her therapists tell her she "doesn't focus enough, and rushes through her work." She said it is just like what jack's teachers used to tell her at parent/teacher conferences! Ha!

Anyhow, so here's the main points:1. They expect to send her home to us on 4/6, two more weeks.2. When she comes home she will probably be in a wheel chair and need 24/7 "company." This is because she has some issues with vision, "putting things together," mobility, and perception. It will not be safe for her to be alone, at least now for now.3. She does NOT have sensation through most of her left arm. This is different than what we thought. It seems like that should be pretty easy to figure out (can you feel this mom!?) but it is hard. Or rather it is painful to figure that stuff out - we're all sitting around & we ask mom if she can feel certain things, then look at one another, making eye contact & digesting the results. 4. In terms of what to expect as she recovers, the doctors, as expected, cannot tell us what to expect. There are amazing success stories out there, and discouraging stories too. So I guess we just have to take it one day at a time!5. Regarding her mobility- they are seeing progress with her left leg that is encouraging. She is walking, transferring (wheelchair to bed), using the bathroom, and dressing with 75% assistance. Their goal is that when she comes home she will only need 25% assistance with these tasks. She let them know she would prefer to go home with a walker, not a wheelchair. They think that is a good long term goal, but may not be very realistic over the next 2 weeks.6. Getting the sleep apnea thing under control is a big deal. She's not a fan of the mask, but hopefully she'll get used to it. That plus the fact that she's eating more should have a huge impact on her progress and strength!

I feel unsettled. Hope springs eternal & I wanted them to tell us that mom can go home & live life as she did pre-stroke. As my mom would say, "HELLOOOOOO?!?!" She had a stroke 13 days ago. OF COURSE she hasn't recovered! It is a long road & I am confident she will continue to progress. When I think about her condition 13 days ago I am floored to think of how much has improved. Man.

So for prayer requests...1. Mom's strength, motivation & determination in therapy. 2. Her mental commitment about smoking- in her mind she has not "quit" yet. This is a problem!3. The "next step" for our family, whatever in the world that will look like! The plan is that I'll take a leave of absence from work & we will collectively make sure someone is with mom at all times. We're not sure how long she'll need that, and we're not sure what options we have with insurance for in-home care & stuff like that. Surprisingly enough, I'm not losing any sleep over this. In most cases this sort of "unknowing" would drive me batty- but here's what I keep telling myself: God has made a way so far, and he will continue to make a way. This is definitely an exercise in trusting God!

3 comments:

Diane Soule
said...

Life will be normal again, it will just be a new normal. The first few weeks/months are the toughest, but I know that as a family you will find out what works best for all of you. Your faith, your family and your friends will help you through those tough moments and will be there to share the great and funny moments (I promise there will be funny moments). You, your mom and your family are in my prayers.

About Me

Michelle:
mom to johonna. born & raised in Oregon. never been skiing. don't like to fish. never had a veggie burger. However...do enjoy coffee. equally fond of beer. married my high school sweetheart. love my dog; sing to my dog. like to bbq.
have been hit & run TWICE. (my car was hit, not me). stop for stray animals. oldest of three. love love love my family. accepted christ as my savior in 9th grade. no known allergies. have a fish pond in the backyard. increasingly sensitive to motion sickness.
Luke:
jo's daddy. loves the broncos. married michelle. lucky. doesn't know his wife wrote his blog profile for him. listens to books on cd while he drives. loyal and protecting. darn funny. loves his dog; sings to his dog. plays lots of cards. snores. oldest of seven. doesn't like olives or soy sauce. left handed. likes to sleep in. doesn't drink coffee. had his tonsils removed as a child.